Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-08
FAM0U. STEAMBOAT.
DIR. Perry's Account OF Its Trial Trip
s'Own the Hudson.

DR.. William Perry, the oldest graduate
ofiharyard College, who died az Exeter
few days a 30. was the sole survivor OF
the passengers who were or Robert Full
toms little steamboat when she made her
famous trip down the Hudson in 1867.
He became a passenger on the boat
through accident. He had left Schenec
tady, where he had been at school, on his
way home for The holidays, aud after a
tedious stage ride had reached Albany.
Al this time railroads had not been intro
duced in this country and in their stead
journeys were made by the old-tashioned
stage coach, and, where navigation was
ible, by river boats, as they were
called, which made trips regularly from
point to point. Such boats made trips up
from New York TO Albany and back, and
by this way DIR. Perry was to travel.
These packets were clumsy affairs and
depended entirely upon the wind. The
journey was long and the passengers often
late 1t their point of destination. ArriV-
ing at Albany young Perry found that no
boat would leave Tor several days. as the
vessel, which was billed to leave that
day, had not yet arrived from her pre-
vous trip. BY good chance he happened
10 Overhear some men talking about new
10 make trial trip to New York the next
day.
He decided to be one Of her passengers,
and his story OF the first trip of the first
steam boat in America will always be re-
memDered by those who have heard it.
The dOct"c used to declare that the
name OF TIE boat was not, as has been al
most universally stated, the Clermont.
1t was the Katherine, OF CIermOnt, named
in honor Ot EI1lfOn5a wifn X ofhnriDa Iiv-
tngston, Of Clermont. New York. There
was a lady Of Connecticut under ysung
Perry S charge, on her way to New York
city, and she agreed to go by the steamer.
1t took her so long, however, to get ready
that morning-it was Aug. 10, 1S07-that
when they reached the wharf the boat
ws1 steamng off. With an accommoda-
tiCn that hasn't served to establish pre-
cedent for these later years, the officers
stopped the vessel and sent back a small
boat to take the two travellers on board,
At first everything went smoothly, but
III the afternoon the steamboat ran
aground, and it was necessary to walt for
nigh tide before she could float off. After
that the boat got into more serious trou-
bic, but Mr.. Perry was not then on board.
At Kingston he had decided to stop over
and visit his brother. The Katherine of
Clermont continued her course. but had
travelled only a few miles farther when
her boiler burst and she had to be laid up
for repairs for several days. Soon after
ward she began regular trips between
New Y DIRK and Albany.
As to the appearance of the first steam
er, DR.. Perry used to say that it was a
rudely built craft, about 125 feet long and
20 feet wide, with side paid le-wheels and
a sheet-irOn boiler. She could make about
six miles an hour. The machinery of the
boat was clumsy, and made such a noise
as to brighten the cattle which were gra-
Zing along the banks of the river. At
some places the people who gathered at
the banks to see the craft were also fright
ened and fed when they beheld the thing
gliding along with no visible power to
make it move. 1t is interesting to note,
In connection with the story of DIR. Perry,
that Great Britain did not receive her
first practicable steamboat until 1912, five
years after the trial trip of Fulton's first
boat. 1t was not until 1919 that the
efficiency of the putting craft for trans
p0rtation between the two countries was
made manifest. Then the little Savannah
steamed across the ocean, making the
trip in twenty. days. Now the trip
can be made IN six days.